Bundle tightener

ABSTRACT

Apparatus for tightening a bundle of flexible steel mat by applying torque to its center as it is wound by rolling on a supporting cradle so that successive convolutions of the mat will be snugly engaged about the bundle, the torque being applied by members that have gripping engagement with opposite edges of the mat at the center of the bundle. The gripping members which apply the torque are rotated by rotary air motors that form part of a mechanical drive and are mounted for vertical floating movement so that they move upwardly with the center of the bundle as its vertical spacing with respect to the supporting cradle increases with the diameter of the bundle. Provision is made for increasing the torque developed by the air motors as the bundle increases in size, this being accomplished by a vertical cam which operates a control valve to increase the pressure of the air supplied to the motors as the torque applying members move upwardly with the center of the bundle.

United States Patent John F. Nelson Concord, Calif. 805,215

Mar. 7, 1969 Mar. 2, 1971 Appl. No. Filed Patented Assignee BUNDLE TIGHTENER 14 Claims, 16 Drawing Figs.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 7/1956 Ranney 9/1966 Sivilotti FOREIGN PATENTS 1/1968 Great Britain United States Steel Corporation Primary ExaminerNathan L. Mintz Att0rneyWilliam G. Young ABSTRACT: Apparatus for tightening a bundle of flexible steel mat by applying torque to its center as it is wound by rolling on a supporting cradle so that successive convolutions of the mat will be snugly engaged about the bundle, the torque being applied by members that have gripping engagement with opposite edges of the mat at the center of the bundle. The gripping members which apply the torque are rotated by rotary air motors that form part of a mechanical drive and are mounted for vertical floating movement so that they move upwardly with the center of the bundle as its vertical spacing with respect to the supporting cradle increases with the diameter of the bundle. Provision is made for increasing the torque developed by the air motors as the bundle increases in size, this being accomplished by a vertical cam which operates a control valve to increase the pressure of the air supplied to the motors as the torque applying members move upwardly with the center of the bundle.

PATH-NEH MAR 219m SHEET 1 BF 5 INVENTOR. JOHN F. NELSON 9% )j Affarney PATENTEUHAR 2mm 3,557,150

sum 2 0F 5 FIE- 5.

1% INVE/VTOR. w 0 JOHN F. NELSON Afforney PATENTED HAR 2m SHEET 3 [IF 5 M 5 TL N E M N V W M H. 0 W B Attorney PATENTEU MAR 2197] SHEET 5 OF I'm? 1U- lNl/E/V TOR. JOHN F: NELSON BUNDLE TIGIITENEIR This invention relates, as indicated, to apparatus for rolling flexible steel mat into a cylindrical bundle as it is wound by rolling movement on a supporting cradle, and, more particularly, to an apparatus for applying torque to the center of the bundle so that successive convolutions of the flexible steel mat will be snugly engaged with each other to thereby produce a compact cylindrical bundle.

The apparatus to which this invention relates, more specifically, comprises a cradle that is formed by members that are supported for rotating movement about parallel axes. The rotary members are arranged in pairs which have supporting engagement at circumferentially spaced points with the surface of the bundle which rotates as the mat is wound thereon. One of the rotary members 'in each pair is an idler roll, and the other is a sprocket which operates to feed the mat to the bundle and to rotate it so that the mat is wound thereon. The advantage of this apparatus 'is that it does not require a mandrel for winding the mat into a bundle. However, it presents a disadvantage in that the bundle frequently is loosely wound and has a poor shape.

This invention accordingly has as one of its principal objects the provision of an improved bundle winding apparatus which will produce compactly wound bundles of good cylindrical shape. The improvements of the invention'in these respects reside in the provision of bundle tighteners at opposite ends of the bundle, each of which includes a rotary gripping member that operates to apply torque to the center of the bundle and to thus insure that successive'convolutions of the mat will be wound tightly onthebundle. In a manner to be described, the torque applying gripping members are mounted for vertical floating movement with the center of the bundle and move upwardly with the bundle center as the size of the bundle on the supporting cradle increases in diameter. According to a further object of the invention, the vertical movement of the torque applying members in response to upward movement of the center of the bundle is utilized to increase the torque which is applied thereby to the bundle, and at the same time to provide for a dcrase in their angular speed of rotation with increasing size of the bundle on its supporting cradle, this being accomplished through vertical camming members that operate control valves to increase the pressure of the air supplied to rotary air motors which form part of a' drive for rotating the torque applying members.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description and the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings, there is shown a preferred embodiment of the invention. In this showing:

FIG. l is a front elevational view of an apparatus for rolling flexible steel mats into a cylindrical bundle, such apparatus being equipped with the bundle tighteners of this invention;

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the apparatus shown in FIG. ll;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view, on an enlarged scale, which is taken substantially along the line III-III of FIG. I;

FIG. 4 is an elevation of the right-hand torque applying assembly shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the view being on an enlarged scale and looking in the direction of the line IV-IV of FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is an elevation taken in a direction looking from the left of FIG. 4;

FIG. 5A is an elevation taken in a direction looking from the right of FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a plan view of the assembly shown in FIG. 4;

FIGS. 7 8 and 9 respectively are views taken along the lines VII-VII VIII-VIII and IX-IX of FIG. 4;

FIG. 18 is a sectional view taken along the line X-X of FIG.

FIG. lll'is an enlarged fragmentary vertical sectional view showing in side elevation the camming'ramp which actuates the pressure regulating valve for the fluid pressure drive motor in response to vertical movement of the bundle gripping member driven thereby;

FIG. 12 is a plan view illustrating the construction of a flexible steel mat for which the bundle forming apparatus of this invention is especially designed;

FIG. 13. is a side view of the flexible steel mat shown in FIG. 12;

FIG. 14 shows the arrangement of picket openings in a steel strap prior to bending for use in the mat shown in FIG. 12; and

FIG. 15 illustrates somewhat diagrammatically the manner in which the gripping members of this invention engage with opposite edges of a flexible steel mat for applying torque thereto as it is rolled into a cylindrical bundle.

The apparatus shown in the drawings is especially suited for rolling flat wire belt of the type shown in FIGS. 12 and 13 into bundles. As shown in these FIGS., the belt is formed of flat wire straps 1 that are shaped by bending into a wavelike configuration in which adjacent portions have a U-shape facing in opposite directions. Adjacent the base 2 of each U-shape portion, elongated openings 3 are provided for the reception of pickets 4 which pivotally connect adjacent straps 1 to each other. Intermediate cylindrical openings 3a are provided for additional pickets 4 if needed. FIG. 14 shows the relative locations of the picket openings 3 and 3a in the strap 1 before it is shaped by bending to wavelike configuration for use in the mat shown in FIG. 12. Opposite ends of each picket 4 have upset heads 5 for holding them against axial movement with respect to the openings 3. The resulting construction is commonly designated flat wire belt" and is used as a conveyor belt in material handling apparatus. For purposes of definition the belt shown in these FIGS. may be characterized as comprising a flexible steel mat of articulated construction, hereinafter designated as a whole by the letter M. It will be understood that this term is applicable also to chain link and picket fence constructions which can be wound into a roll by the apparatus of this invention.

As shown in the other FIGS. the apparatus for winding a flexible steel mat M of the type described above into a cylindrical bundle B comprises a base 6 on which a drive shaft 7 having sprocket wheels 8 at axially spaced intervals along its length is supported by bearings 9. The sprocket drive shaft 7 is rotated by an electric motor 10 and speed reduction gearing 11 through a flexible coupling 12. Opposite each of the sprocket wheels 8, an idler roll 13 is rotatably supported on a pedestal 14 that is attached by a bolt 15 to a plate 16 secured to the base 6. The bolts 15 are T-bolts that engage in a T-slot 17 extending along the length of the base plate 16 to provide for adjustment of the positions of the pedestals 14 lengthwise of the apparatus. Each of the pedestals M carries a stripper arm 18 that extends to a position adjacent the periphery of a sprocket wheel 8. Sprocket teeth 19 on each sprocket wheel 8 have meshing engagement in the space 20 between the pickets 4 of the belting M described above, and thus operate to pull the flexible mat or belt from a fabricating table (not shown) and feed it to the right over the sprockets 8 as viewed in FIG. 3 and toward the idler rolls 13. A holddown roll 21 supported by bearings 22 on the base 6 engages and operates to move the belt into meshing engagement with the sprocket teeth 19 as it is pulled by the sprockets from the belt fabricating table. As it is fed by rotation of the sprockets 8, the belt M engages the stripper arms 18, which lift it out of meshing engagement with the teeth I9, and in conjunction with the idler rolls I3 operate to curl and rotate it into a circular bundle. As the feeding movement of the belt M is continued by rotation of the sprockets 8, a circular bundle B, illustrated diagrammatically by dotted lines in FIG. 3, is formed. The bundle B is supported in a horizontal position by the sprockets 8 and idler rolls 13 which in effect act as a cradle on which the bundle is rotated by the belt feeding action of the sprockets 8.

To obtain a tightly wound bundle B of good cylindrical shape, the apparatus described above is provided with a pair of torque applying devices 25L and 25R for applying torque to the bundle B in the ann manner to be described. The required torque for this purpose is applied by a pair of rotating tools 26 that project toward each other from the units 25R and 25L as shown in FIG. 1. As best shown in FIG. 7, each of the tools 26 has a bifurcated construction with spaced arms 27 that engage with opposite sides of the belt or mat M as shown in FIG. 15. Each of the tools 26, more specifically, is a cylindrical shaft having an axially extending slot 28 milled therein to provide the bifurcations 27 for engagement with opposite faces of the mat M at one end thereof. Upon rotation of the tools 26, the mat M is twisted about an axis extending transversely of one end thereof, such axis corresponding to the center of the bundle B. Torque applied by rotation of the tools 26 in this manner tends to rotate the bundle B in a counterclockwise direction as viewed in FIG. 3 so that each of the convolutions of the mat M is tightly wound on the bundle B, which upon completion of the winding operation has a compact and good cylindrical shape.

Except for having right-hand and left-hand constructions, the units 25R and 25L are identical and are constructed as shown in FIGS. 4-10, the showing in these FIGS. being specific to the torque applying device 25R. As shown in these FIGS., each of the units 25 comprises a vertical post 30 which is secured to the base 6 by T-bolts 31 which engage in the slots 17 of the base plate 16, to thus provide for location of the units 25R and 25L in adjustable positions along the length of the base 6 at opposite edges of the mat being wound on the cradle members 8 and 13. Caps 32 at the upper ends of the post 30 have openings 33 therein for engagement by hooks on chains suspended from the mill crane or other lifting device to enable adjustment of the positions of the units 25 along the length of the base plate 16. The caps 32 further provide a mounting for sprocket wheels 34 which are rotatably supported thereon by horizontal pins 35 for a purpose to be described.

Each of the tools 26 is driven by a quill 36 which is rotatably supported in a housing 37, a cylindrical shank 38 at the inner end of each tool 26 being keyed to the quill 36 for rotation thereby and for axial movement with respect thereto. An adjusting screw 39 has threaded engagement in an opening 40 extending centrally of the shank 38 to provide for movement of the tool 26 between its extended operating position as shown in solid lines in the drawings and a retracted position in which it is housed within the quill 36. A bearing assembly 41 supports the outer end of the screw 39 being rotatable with respect to the quill 36, the screw 39 being rotatable by a wrench applied to a nut 42 at its outer end, which may be held against rotation relative to the quill 36 by a lock nut 43 forming part of the assembly 41. The quill 36 is rotated by speed reduction gearing G comprising a worm gear 44 which has a keyed connection therewith and has meshing engagement with a worm 45 that is rotated by a turbine or vane type rotary air motor 46. A control valve 47 regulates the pressure of the air supplied to the motor 46 from the plant air supply through piping not shown, the torque developed by the motor 46 varying with the pressure of the air supplied by the control valve 47.

The air motor 46 and the pressure regulating valve 47 are conventional and may be obtained from a number of manufacturers that produce this type of equipment. The air motor may be, for example, Number 8274-1 manufactured by the ARC Company of Bryan, Ohio. The pressure regulating valve 47 may be WABCO Style H-3, Controair valve P50382-2, manufactured by the Westinghouse Air Brake Company.

The drive assembly comprising the parts 36-47 for rotating each tool 26 as described above is mounted for vertical movement on the post 30 by a carriage 48, which is mounted for guided vertical movement along one side of the post 30. For this purpose, and as best shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, the carriage 48 has inwardly turned lugs 49 at opposite sides thereof which have sliding engagement in grooves 50 in a trackway 51 extending along one side of the post 30. Each torque tool drive assembly is supported on the carriage 48 by a bracket 52 that has a rectangularly-shaped opening 53 (FIG. 4) in which a rectangularly-shaped portion 54 of the housing 37 is received. As shown in FIGS. 4 and 7, the width of the opening 53 between its side edges 55 is greater than the width of the housing portion 54 between opposite sides 56 thereof to provide for horizontal movement of the housing 37 in the bracket 52 for purpose to be described. The housing 37 is held against axial movement in the bracket opening 53 by a plate 54a, the upper and lower edges of which have sliding engagement with the bracket 52 about the upper and the lower edges of the opening 53 as viewed in FIG. 4. The plate 54a is secured to the quill housing 37 by screws 54b (FIG. 7) which extend through the opening 53. The pressure regulating valve 47 is supported on the slide carriage bracket 52 by a bracket 57 projecting upwardly therefrom as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5.

Vertical movement of the slide carriage 48 and the drive assembly carried thereby is counterbalanced by a weight 58 mounted for vertical movement in the interior of the post 30. The counterbalancing action of the weight 58 is effected by a roller chain 59 that is trained over the sprocket 34 mounted for rotation in the cap 32 as described above, and has one end connected at 60 with the upper end of the counterbalance weight 58 and its opposite end connected at 61 (FIGS. 4 and 8) with the slide carriage 48.

By reason of the counterbalanced slide carriage mounting of the drive assembly for each tool 26 as described above, such tools have freely floating supports which enable them to move upwardly with the center of the bundle B as the size of such bundle increases in size. In addition, the spacing of the sides 55 of the bracket opening 53 with respect to the sides 56 of the housing portion 54 provide for limited horizontal movement of the tool 26 between the positions shown in dotted lines in FIG. 15, so that it is free to float laterally and follow the center of an irregularly round bundle B as it rotates on the cradle formed by the sprockets 8 and idler rollers 13. With respect to the manner in which the floating support for the tool 26 allows it to follow the center of the bundle B, attention is particularly directed to the fact that the mounting of each drive assembly is such that the axis of each tool 26 is arranged in a vertical plane located substantially centrally between the idler rollers 13 and the sprockets 8 as shown in FIGS. 2 and 6.

Attention is directed to the fact that the speed at which the bundle B rotates on its cradle support decreases as the size of such bundle increases. This is due to the fact that the flexible mat M is fed to the bundle B by the sprockets 8 at a constant speed. Because of this, a rotary air motor 46 of the type described above is particularly suited to the operation of the apparatus of this invention since its speed will lower automatically to that called for by the diameter of the bundle B and the speed at which the mat M is delivered by the sprockets 8. It will also be apparent that this speed regulation is effected without decreasing the torque developed by the tools 26, which is a function of the pressure supplied to the air motor by the control valve 47.

In order that the convolutions will be wound on the bundle B with uniform tightness, it is necessary that the torque developed by the tools 26 be increased with the diameter of the bundle B, and this is effected by operating the control valve 47 to increase the pressure of the air supplied to the rotary motor 46. The increase in pressure for this purpose is effected by a vertically extending cam or ramp 62 which extends vertically along the length of the guide trackway 51 as best shown in FIG. 11. The pressure regulating action of the valve 47 is effected by a control lever 63 that has an operating roller 64 on its outer end in rolling engagement with the ramp 62. The slope of the ramp 62 is such that it operates as a cam to move the control lever 63 to increase the pressure of the air supplied to the motor 46 as the control valve 47 moves upwardly with the center of the bundle B. In this manner, the valves 47 are operated to increase the torque applied by the tools 26 as the size of the bundle on the cradle supports 9 and 13 increases, and it will be noted that the increase in the torque developed by the tools 26 in this manner is effected without any increase in rotational speed.

In operation, flexible mat to be rolled into a bundle is threaded over the sprockets 8 to a position with its outer end arranged approximately centrally between the sprockets 8 and rolls 13 as shown in FIG. 15. At this point, the screws 39 are rotated by wrenches applied to the nuts 42 to move the tools 26 to their extended positions with opposite side edges of the mat M arranged in the slots 28 and the tool arm 27 engaged with opposite faces of the mat M. Air is then supplied to the motors 46 to rotate the tools 26 so that they operate to twist the end of the mat and form the center of the bundle B as shown in FIG. 14. Thereafter, continued feeding movement of the mat M by the sprockets 8 and the torquing action of the tools 26 will result in the formation of a bundle B of good cylindrical shape in which the several convolutions thereof are snugly engaged with the underlying convolutions.

While one embodiment of my invention has been shown and described, it will be apparent that adaptations and modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In apparatus for rolling a flexible steel mat into a bundle, the combination with means rotatably supporting said bundle including a pair of laterally spaced rotatable members having supporting engagement with said bundle at circumferentially spaced points, and means for feeding said mat over one of said members to said bundle, said feeding means operating to rotate said bundle and to wind thereon the mat being fed over said one member, of rotary means for applying torque to said bundle at its center and in the direction of rotation thereof to wind successive convolutions of said mat snugly on said bundle.

2. A mat winding apparatus as defined in claim 1 characterized by said rotary means comprising gripping members engaged with opposite sides of said mat at the leading end thereof and at the center of said bundle.

3. An apparatus as defined in claim 2 characterized further by each of said gripping members having a bifurcated construction with the arms thereof engaged with opposite sides of said mat.

4. An apparatus as defined in claim 3 characterized by means mounting said gripping members for axial movement to positions disengaged from said bundle to provide for its removal from said supporting means.

5. An apparatus as defined in claim 2 characterized by a rotary support for each of said members, and a power drive for rotating said members.

6. An apparatus as defined in claim 5 characterized by said power drive including controlmeans for reducing the speed of rotation and for increasing the torque of said gripping members as the diameter of the bundle on said rotary members increases in size.

7. An apparatus as defined in claim 5 characterized by means mounting said rotary support for guided vertical floating movement so that said gripping members may move upwardly with the center of said bundle as its size increases.

8. An apparatus as defined in claim 7 characterized by means responsive to upward vertical movement of said rotary support for adjusting said control means to increase the torque applied by said power drive to said gripping members.

9. An apparatus as defined in claim 7 with means counter balancing said rotary support to provide for free vertical floating movement thereof.

10. In apparatus for rolling a flexible steel mat into a bundle, the combination comprising a cradle on which said bundle is supported for rolling movement in a horizontal position, and a common means for feeding said mat to said bundle and for rotating said bundle on said cradle to wind said mat thereon, of means for applying torque at the center of said bundle to wind successive convolutions of said mat snugly on said bundle.

11. In apparatus for winding a flexible steel mat into a bundle, the combination comprising a cradle supporting said bundle for rolling movement in a horizontal position, means for rotating said bundle on said cradle to wind said mat thereon,

and a pair of torque units respectively mounted at o posite ends 0 said bund e for applying torque to the center hereof so that successive convolutions of said mat are wound snugly on said bundle.

12. An apparatus as defined in claim I]. characterized by each of said torque units comprising a member having gripping engagement with opposite edges of said mat at the front end thereof and at the center of said bundle, a power drive for rotating said gripping member to apply torque to said bundle, and means mounting said units for vertical movement so that said gripping members move upwardly with the center of said bundle as its diameter increases.

13. An apparatus as defined in claim 12 characterized by said power drive comprising a rotary fluid pressure motor, and means including a control valve responsive to upward movement of said units for increasing the torque transmitted by said motors to said gripping members.

14. Apparatus as defined in claim 13 characterized by said last-named means comprisinga vertically extending cam for operating said control valve to increase the supply of fluid pressure to said motors. 

1. In apparatus for rolling a flexible steel mat into a bundle, the combination with means rotatably supporting said bundle including a pair of laterally spaced rotatable members having supporting engagement with said bundle at circumferentially spaced points, and means for feeding said mat over one of said members to said bundle, said feeding means operating to rotate said bundle and to wind thereon the mat being fed over said one member, of rotary means for applying torque to said bundle at its center and in the direction of rotation thereof to wind successive convolutions of said mat snugly on said bundle.
 2. A mat winding apparatus as defined in claim 1 characterized by said rotary means comprising gripping members engaged with opposite sides of said mat at the leading end thereof and at the center of said bundle.
 3. An apparatus as defined in claim 2 characterized further by each of said gripping members having a bifurcated construction with the arms thereof engaged with opposite sides of said mat.
 4. An apparatus as defined in claim 3 characterized by means mounting said gripping members for axial movement to positions disengaged from said bundle to provide for its removal from said supporting means.
 5. An apparatus as defined in claim 2 characterized by a rotary support for each of said members, and a power drive for rotating said members.
 6. An apparatus as defined in claim 5 characterized by said power drive including control means for reducing the speed of rotation and for increasing the torque of said gripping members as the diameter of the bundle on said rotary members increases in size.
 7. An apparatus as defined in claim 5 characterized by means mounting said rotary support for guided vertical floating movement so that said gripping members may move upwardly with the center of said bundle as its size increases.
 8. An apparatus as defined in claim 7 characterized by means responsive to upward vertical movement of said rotary support for adjusting said control means to increase the torque applied by said power drive to said gripping members.
 9. An apparatus as defined in claim 7 with means counter balancing said rotary support to provide for free vertical floating movement thereof.
 10. In apparatus for rolling a flexible steel mat into a bundle, the combination comprising a cradle on which said bundle is supported for rolling movement in a horizontal position, and a common means for feeding said mat to said bundle and for rotating said bundle on said cradle to wind said mat thereon, of means for applying torque at the center of said bundle to wind successive convolutions of said mat snugly on said bundle.
 11. In apparatus for winding a flexible steel mat into a bundle, the combination comprising a cradle supporting said bundle for rolling movement in a horizontal position, means for rotating said bundle on said cradle to wind said mat thereon, and a pair of torque units respectively mounted at opposite ends of said bundle for applying torque to the center thereof so that successive convolutions of said mat are wound snugly on said bundle.
 12. An apparatus as defined in claim 11 characterized by each of said torque units comprising a member having gripping engagement with opposite edges of said mat at the front end thereof and at the center of said bundle, a power drive for rotating said gripping member to apply torque to said bundle, and means mounting said units for vertical movement so that said gripping members move upwardly with the center of said bundle as its diameter increases.
 13. An apparatus as defined in claim 12 characterized by said power drive comprising a rotary fluid pressure motor, and means including a control valve responsive to upward movement of said units for increasing the torque transmitted by said motors to said gripping members.
 14. Apparatus as defined in claim 13 characterized by said last-named means comprising a vertically extending cam for operating said control valve to increase the supply of fluid pressure to said motors. 